Sinker for fishing or other lines



(N0 Medal.)

A. B. QUINAN.

SINKER FOR FISHING OR OTHER LINES. No. 565,030. Patented Augfli, 1896.

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ALLEN B. QUINAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SINKER FOR FISHING OR OTHER LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,030, dated August4, 1896. Application filed September 14, 1895. Serial No. 562,494. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, 2'1; nmy conceive:

Be itknown that I, ALLEN B. QUINAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Baltimore,

' in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Sinker forFishing Tackle or Sounding-Lines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in sinkers in which the weight ofthe sinker may be increased or diminished to suit the varying conditionsof currents and tides without detaching the line from the sinker. Iattain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sinker with its segmentssuperimposed upon it and locked; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of thesinker with eyepiece and without segments; Fig. 3, the eyepiece, andFig. 4 a view showing how the weight of the sinker may be increased ordiminished without removal of the line.

The entire sinker is shown in Fig. 1 as consisting of a central sinker Cand severalsuperimposed hollow segments, as A and B, each of whichsegments is slotted from top to bottom, the slots S being enlarged attheir upper and lower ends by the rounding cit of the edges of thesegments A. and B at the angles R.

The sinker O is solid excepting the cavity in its upper portioncontaining the lower parts of the eyepiece H. This eyepiece H has aneyelet E for the line, and projects horizontally 011 the upper surfaceof the sinker G in the form of an arm or beak b, the thickness of whichis less than the width of the slot S of a segment A or B. The eyepiece His revoluhle, hein g extended downward into the sinker O as acylindrical neck 8, which is enlarged at its end into the form of abutton F, thus preventing the slipping of the eyepiece H from the sinkerO.

lVhen itis desired to increase the weight of the sinker C, the line K ispassed sidewise, as in Fig. 4., through the slot S and into the hollowsegment A, which is then passed downward over and upon the sinker O, theslot S receiving the projection or beak 1). Another and larger hollowsegment B may be fitted upon the superimposed segment A in the samemanner.

To lock the superimposed segments A and B, the eyepiece H is revolvedtill its beak h rests upon the upper edges of the segments A and B. InFig. l the beak b is represented as having been given a half-turn so asto be carried the greatest distance possible from the slot S.

To diminish the weight of the sinker when a hollow segment issuperimposed and locked, it is only necessary to revolve the eyepiece Htill its beak Z) stands over the upper end of the slot S, and then pushthe segment on the line K. The slot receives the beak b, and when thesegment is on the line the latter is passed outwardly and sidewisethrough the slot S.

The segments A and B are of the same height, and when superimposed havetheir lower edges on a level with the lower surface of the part C. Theirupper edges fall either in the same plane as or a lower plane than theupper surface of the part 0. i I

I do not confine myself to the particular form of sinker shown in thedrawings. Frustums of cones and similar shapes may be used. Someadvantage may be derived from compressing laterally the upperportion ofthe sinker, so that its upper surface will be approximately elliptical,which will permit a shortening of the beak b, it being then turned inlooking so as to be at right angles to the major axis.

The advantages of a combination-sinker of the above description areobvious. Not only does the complete sinker retain its original height,thus keeping the fish-hooks at the same distance from the sinker andbottom of the water, but the point of attachment of the line tothesinker does not change its relative position and allows the same feel tothe fisherman as in an ordinary sinker of equal weight.

In the normal (upright) position each additional weight is kept securelyin place by the part upon which it is superimposed. lVhen inverted ormuch inclined, the beak 1) prevents any segment from falling off. Eachadded segment covers those already placed on, and protects them fromstrain or accidental blows.

As the slots of the segments when superimposed fall in line one abovethe other, all,

or any number, may be removed at the same time by pushing upward againsttheir lower edges, (which are in the same horizontal plane,) or byinverting the sinker and guiding them to the line with the hand. Therounding off of the edges at the angles R permits the easy reception ofthe beak 1) Without abrasion of the edges of the segments.

The slots S form at their lower ends a hole or recess into which earthwill be forced when the sinker is used as a sounder, and thus show thecharacter of the bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A sinker for fishing-lines or sounding-lines,

ing witnesses.

ALLEN B. QUINAN. W'itnesses:

Tnos. A. BILLINGSLEY, WM. H. H. STEVENSON.

